Farming is one of the most important industries in this Province, yet the NDP is ignoring farmers’ concerns, particularly in Lac du Bonnet Constituency. Drainage is one of the most important issues facing farmers in our area, particularly since ½ of the water entering Lake Winnipeg goes through the constituency. This is a massive amount of water, and our drainage system needs to be properly maintained in order that farmers who depend on drainage are not flooded out. Farmers put massive amounts of money into the earth every year, and they hope and pray they will get a crop to pay for these expenses and to make a profit to feed their families. A lack of drainage can mean the difference between a crop and no crop at all. If part or all of their crops are destroyed by flooding they may break even or they may suffer a loss. Imagine working a whole year and losing money! Most of us would not stand for it, but that’s the reality of farming.

In 2002, a West St. Paul farmer had enough after his land flooded and destroyed his crops due to a lack of drainage. He sued the Province of Manitoba for his losses, stating that the Province of Manitoba was negligent because it failed to maintain culverts, it failed to maintain ditches, it failed to maintain roads, and it failed to maintain dikes to allow the flow of water without flooding his farmland. This farmer stated that the Province had received numerous warnings about the drainage system, and the Province refused to act on these warnings.

What was the response of the NDP Government? It wasn’t to admit that it failed to protect this farmer’s crops. It wasn’t to admit that it was wrong. No, it was to deny, deny, deny! The NDP denied it was, or is, under any obligation to construct drainage ditches to protect agricultural land. Why did the Government not admit it was wrong? Because the NDP does not protect farmers! How can you possibly deny that the farmer lost his crops? How can you possibly say that public drainage ditches are not the responsibility of government?

Well it took more than 4 years of fighting with the NDP Government, and huge legal bills, but this farmer proved his point when the NDP finally settled his claim when it paid him $40,000 under Order – in – Council 262/2006. Why should it take 4 years? Why wouldn’t the NDP admit it was wrong and pay the farmer what he was due? Why should the farmer spend thousands of dollars in legal expenses to prove what the government should have known all along? Is this what farmers should expect from their government? I say not!